


Little Girl Lost

by Mauryn (tate886)



Category: Sleepy Hollow (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-12-02
Updated: 2014-10-12
Packaged: 2018-01-03 07:33:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 14,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1067759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tate886/pseuds/Mauryn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The surprises just keep coming for Ichabod. A girl, chased by odd occurrences and plagued by contradictory memories, returns to Sleepy Hollow to unravel her confusing past. When the two collide, can they learn to live with the truth in time?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Another One

The darkness was nearly absolute. It was all around her, pressing in on her, thick and pulsating like a hungry living thing. A thing that would rip out her soul should she make one little misstep.

Police Lieutenant Abbie Mills could not see her hand in front of her face. She could not see the ground beneath her feet. She could barely move. She could hardly breathe.

She was not afraid. Odd nightmares had become a way of life for her in the last few weeks. And, though the rest of her body felt heavy and tired, there was nothing wrong with her hearing, and what she heard sounded just like a great light in the dark. What she heard was enough to make her want to face any number of evil demons.

“Come on, honey. You gotta keep up.”

Corbin’s voice floated somewhere in front of her, urging her onward, always seeming to be maddeningly out of her grasp.

She struggled towards him. It felt like she was swimming through wet cement.

“She needs to talk to you, Abbie, Now come on, don’t fall behind, little girl.”

“I’m coming, old man,” she panted and pushed forward through the darkness. “Just hold your horses!”

God, he is such a pain, sometimes, Abbie thought as she continued to struggled to reach her mentor’s side. It had temporarily slipped her mind that he had been dead for weeks.

“Corbin! Where are you? Oh, NO!!!"

Abbie caught one terrible glimpse of his headless body. It hovered before her, and then it disappeared. Only his voice remained with her.

“Ah, Abbie. You need to let that image go, honey. Dragging it around with you isn’t good for either of us.”

Former Sheriff of Sleepy Hollow, August Corbin, spoke to her in that gentle way he had when he was alive. Even in her dream, it still could cause a lump in Abbie’s throat.

She kept on going, and still he led her on, deeper and deeper in to the blackness.

“Well, it took you long enough,” Corbin teased her. “Now, don’t worry. I’ll be seeing you again real soon. But, Katrina needs you, now.”

“Corbin, wait!”

Abbie reached out for him, but he was gone. And, in his place, Abbie heard a heart wrenching scream.

“NO! Not her! Where have they taken her? Bring her back now!!!””

Katrina’s voice was crying to her. And, she knew it was a dream, but the agonized tones still tore at Abbie Mills heart.

“Hello!” Abbie called to the shadows. “Katrina, I’m here! who are you talking about?” Abbie tried to scream.

And, it was as if her voice shattered the darkness. It fell away in long black shards. Abbie blinked and Katrina Crane stood before her, her hands twisted together in anguish, her eyes were red, raw, and filled with an endless grief.

“Please, you must tell him,” she implored Abbie tearfully. “Tell him there is another. He must protect her where I could not. Not only from the darkness that threatens us all, but from herself.”

“Another what? Another who?” Abbie tried to ask. “Katrina, who?”

The alarm blared. It jarred Abbie out of her dream world, and in to the present. She opened her eyes and found herself staring in to her sister’s face.

“what’s wrong with you?” her sister Jenny demanded. “Who were you talking to in here?”

Taking a deep breath, Abbie threw off her covers and slowly sat up.

“I wasn’t talking to anyone. Wait, why’d you ask that?”

“’Cause I heard another voice in here. She was crying, bring her back, bring her back. First I thought it was you, but--”

Jenny sat down heavily on her older sister’s bed, and waited.

“But, that was in my dream, Jenny,” Abbie insisted. “How did you hear it if you are awake. We are both awake now, right?”

Reaching out, Jenny gave her sister a quick painful pinch on her side.

“Ouch! Hey!”

“Yep, I think that means we’re both awake. So, you’re telling me I’m hearing voices from your dreams now?”

Abbie gave a tired laugh, and the sister’s exchanged a long look.

“Okay,” Jenny said very slowly. “So, just add it to the list of weird, then?”

Abbie nodded. She did not know what else to say.

“Well, if you’re done chatting with your dream girl, Prince Charles is waiting for you. So, get up,” Jenny ordered. She stood up and left the bedroom.

Abbie was about to snap back that she didn’t feel like getting up, but stopped herself. It wasn’t like Jenny had waited around for her to comment, anyway. Besides, she and Jenny were still feeling their way toward being sisters. Abbie did not want their old pattern of bitterness, guilt and hatred to start all over again. She needed Jenny now, and someday, she might even tell her. But, for now she had to go out and tell Crane that she had had another visitation from his wife.


	2. Soul Sister

My dearest Soul sister,

Are you sitting down? Well, do it if you are not. I have some news that, I hope, you will find pleasant.

I am returning to Sleepy Hollow.

Yes, yes, I know that when I left for University, I swore I’d never set foot in that town again. Did I ever tell you why that was? I honestly can’t remember if I ever explained to you what was happening to me. I may have been too frightened to tell even you, Lilliana.

I am certain in my mind that I only told one other person, and now he is gone forever…

Sitting alone in her flat on the Oxford campus with her laptop open on the desk, Miriam tried to swallow back her sobs. A few tears landed on her keyboard. With a little cry of grief, she gave up the fight, and buried her face in her hands and wept.

She did not know how long she wept, but after a time, Miriam raised her head and began typing again.

Rumors abound of Sleepy Hollow, dearest Sister of my heart, and they reach even here to Oxford. When I arrive, assuming you are still speaking to me as I know I’ve been a horrible letter writer these last few years, perhaps you can help to clarify some of them for me. There may be a lot you can help clarify for me.

Well, I have so much more to say, but I hope we can say it all when we meet again.

I just wanted to let you know I am coming home, and will be arriving in just a few hours. I cannot wait to see you again.

With All My Love,  
Your soul Sister,

Hitting Send, she sent the email spiraling out in to the net. But, after just a few moments, anxiety gripped her again. She just had to hear Lilliana’s voice. She just had to know that she was all right.

Miriam held the cordless phone cradled against her head and waited, feeling oddly breathless. One ring, two rings, three… Where was that girl?

She would have sworn that Lilliana had voice mail or at least an antiquated answering machine, but on the fifth ring, she was about to give up.

“… Hello, er, his is the Van tassel residence. May I assist you?”

A very British and extremely hesitant male voice answered the phone.

What the hell was this?

Miriam’s brow furrowed with puzzlement. It was true they didn’t communicate as often as either would like these days, but why hadn’t Lilliana ever mentioned she was now living with a Brit? And, who was he, anyway?

Miriam damped down on both her burning curiosity and her natural protective instincts to immediately interrogate the poor man. Lilliana was a big girl, and could take care of herself.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” she began hesitantly. “Do I perhaps have the wrong number? I’m trying to reach Lilliana Van tassel, Sir?”

A slight chuckle came through the phone lines connecting Sleepy Hollow to her flat at Oxford University. Miriam found herself responding to that sound with an involuntary smile. She liked the sound of this man’s voice. It made her feel better. And, she had had little reason to smile the last few weeks, not after getting the news about Corbin’s murder from Abigail Mills.

“This is indeed Miss Lilliana’s residence,” the unknown British gentlemen confirmed. Miriam thought he sounded quite a bit more upbeat, responding to her own accent, no doubt. “May I give her a message, Miss?”

“Yes, please just tell her to check her email,” Miriam replied. “If she does not, I do not want to hear complaints from her about my not writing. And, tell her—“

Miriam hesitated then changed her mind.

“No, never mind. It’s in the email. Please just tell her Miriam called.”

She could hear the scratching of a pencil or pen. From the sound of it, the man was taking down absolutely every word she said.

“I will deliver your message with all due haste, Miss Miriam.”

Miriam felt her smile growing wider, and clamped down on it. Lord in Heaven, who was this man?

A loud wrapping on her door made her jump. Her taxi had arrived.

“Thank you very much, Sir. Goodbye.” she told the stranger on the line.

After she had hung up, Miriam felt somehow deflated. Pushing her feelings aside, she grabbed the suitcase that stood by her door, and walked out to her waiting cab without looking back.

Miriam Catherine Crane was going home at last.


	3. Mystery Crane

Ichabod sat listening to the low hum of the telephone for a few more seconds. Had that call actually come all the way from Britain? Was there no distance on the planet that these devices could not reach?

 

The voice had sounded so strong and clear that this Miriam person could have almost been in the same room with him. Or, at the very least, quite close by.

 

“Remarkable,” he murmured

 

There was a click, and the low hum disappeared to be replaced by another female voice. This voice was far more nasal and far less pleasant sounding to his ears.

 

_If you’d like to make a call, please hang up and try again. If you need help, please dial your operator._

 

“No thank you, Madam. I believe I am—“Ichabod began.

 

The woman interrupted him and repeated her speech in exactly the same manner as before. It was eerily word for word, with identical inflections and all.

 

_Well, how rude,_ Ichabod thought before it occurred to him that perhaps this was one of those recording things.

 

He replaced the phone with exaggerated care in its cradle.

 

Glancing over his hastily written note, he put it where he was almost certain Lilliana would find it; he went out and got in to Abbie’s car.

 

“What’s wrong?” Abbie asked before she even re-started he engine.

 

“I am quite well, all things considered. Why do you ask?”

 

Abbie peered at him intently for a moment.

 

“I don’t know, for a second there, you looked, well, more out there than usual.”

 

“Out there? Exactly where do you mean?”

 

Each time Ichabod thought he was getting a handle on the new twists to this modern English language, someone. Usually Abbie would say something else incomprehensible.

 

“I meant that you looked quite distracted,” Abbie patiently clarified. “I don’t know why you just didn’t let the machine or voicemail answer that.”

 

“The constant ringing was starting to irritate me,” Ichabod stated flatly.

 

“And, I fear that Lilliana’s machine no longer works. Therefore, it is my duty to answer her telephone device while I am there.” he added a bit sheepishly.

 

“Oh, what did you do?” Abbie demanded as she started the car and drove away. Secretly, she was glad it wasn’t something of hers or the police department that he had broken.

 

“I spilled a spot of tea on to it,” Ichabod admitted. “I was able to wash out the tea quite easily, but when I replaced the plug in to the wall, smoke came out of it, and—“

 

Inwardly, Abbie winced with sympathy for the poor Van tassel girl.

 

“Okay,” Abbie broke in quickly. “Okay, I really don’t need to hear anymore.”

 

“Tell me, Lieutenant,” Ichabod asked as Abbie drove towards the police station. “Would you perhaps no a young Lady by the name of Miriam?”

 

Abbie shook her head, and he continued.

 

“This was the person attempting to reach Lilliana, you see,” he went on. “She said she is coming back To Sleepy Hollow, and—“

 

“Oh, just a minute.” Abbie broke off, and pulled the car over to the side of the road. “Do you mean Miriam C--?”

 

Abbie broke off abruptly.

 

“What?” Ichabod exclaimed.

 

Abbie eyed him with mixed sympathy and a new burning curiosity.

 

“Well, There is old Misses Jonstone, but she’s in her nineties, and deaf as a post,” Abbie explained. “The only young lady named Miriam that I know about, and that’ was through Corbin, is a Miriam Catherine Crane. We were never really friends. I, well, I didn’t make the best first impression on her years ago. I hadn’t talked to her for years, not until I had to call and tell her about Corbin.”

 

Swallowing hard, Abbie looked away. To say that had been a hard and unpleasant conversation would be the universe’s worst understatement.

 

“I think she’s away at college somewhere, Corbin mentioned it once, but—“

 

“In Britain?” Ichabod offered. It was more of a statement then a question.

 

“Yeah, I think. Oh, wait a minutet—“

 

A small sad smile tugged at the corner of Abbie’s mouth.

 

“Don’t hold me to this, ‘cause I might be wrong. But, I think Corbin said once that she went to... Oh, I must be wrong. I think Corbin once said that she’d gone to Oxford University. I only remember that because he was almost bursting with the news.”

 

“Did she, indeed?” Ichabod grinned. “Well, well.”

 

“I’ll see what I can find out for you in the public records and through online geneology reports,” Abbie promised as they pulled in to the parking lot. “But, please don’t get your hopes up. Even if this girl is a Crane, it doesn’t necessarily mean she is any relation of yours. And, even if she is--“

 

“She mightn’t want anything to do with the Madman of Sleepy Hollow,” Ichabod finished her statement wistfully.

 

Abbie opened her mouth. She started to object at Ichabod’s calling himself Madman, but let it go. It was true, after all. That was what most of the town thought of him. Apparently, she hadn’t shielded him from that knowledge as well as she would have liked.

 

Then, as they were walking in to the station, it occurred to Abbie. Was Katrina possibly talking about this girl when she’d cried, “There is another?”

 

“Lieutenant?”

 

Crane touched her arm, and Abbie almost jumped.

 

“Huh, what?”

 

“You looked a bit...out there...for a while

 

“Never mind,” she told him. “Time to get to work. “We’ll look in to this Miriam on my lunch break, okay?”


	4. Who Cared For Her

“Is this her?” Abbie asked as she put a voicemail on speaker for Ichabod to hear.

 

_Lieutenant Mills,_

_This is Miriam Crane. I’m just letting you know that I will be arriving in Sleepy Hollow in a few hours. Tomorrow morning at the latest. I was wondering, er, if we could meet somewhere and, well and talk. I know you have several things from Corbin to give to me. You may reach me at this number._

_OH, and please give my regards to Jenny._

_I’ll se you soon._

 

“Oh, yes indeed, that is her.” Ichabod confirmed.

 

“Lieutenant,” he went on eagerly. “If you are going to meet with her, may I—:

 

“No,” Abbie said firmly. At the look on Ichabod’s face, Perhaps she said it a bit too firmly.

 

_“Crane, take it easy,” Abbie tried to sooth him. “I’m not banning you from ever meeting her. I don’t have that right. It’s just, well; it’s going to be awkward enough, what with having to talk about Corbin. And she and I not really being friends and all. It was hard enough on the phone with a whole ocean between us.”_

 

“Ah, I do understand. But, perhaps a disinterested third party might help to alleviate the tension?

 

“Disinterested! Are you kidding me?” Abbie said with a laugh.

 

“But—“

 

“No, Crane!” Abbie insisted. “Just let me get through this one on my own. If I need you, I can reach you at the Van Tassel girl’s place, right?”

 

Ichabod nodded, and Abbie turned back to her computer.

 

“Okay, let’s just see what turns up about your mysterious Miss Crane.”

 

Abbie typed for a few moments.

 

“Well, that is a bit odd.”

 

She turned the screen so Ichabod could see it.

 

“Exactly what does all that mean?” he asked confused.

 

“Well, her birth certificate was apparently not filed until she was just over four years old. No parents listed, says Unknown.”

 

“Poor little orphaned child,” Ichabod murmured sadly. “If only I had been awake, I’d happily have cared for her.”

 

Abbie suppressed a fond smile.

 

“Crane, come on, you don’t even know if she’s related yet.”

 

“That would not have mattered, Lieutenant. She was still a child who needed love and care and attention.”

 

Inwardly, Abbie winced. She would never forget being a child who needed love and care and attention.

 

“So, who did care for her?” Ichabod asked. “Sheriff Corbin, perhaps?”

 

Abbie shook her head.

 

‘NO idea. All her records say is that it was a private adoption. You say she called for Lilliana? Well, maybe the Van Tassel’s took her, then.”

 

“Well, Can you not find out?” Ichabod demanded. He was getting impatient again.

 

“Not without either a warrant or her permission.”

 

Ichabod started to object, but Abbie raised a hand and cut him off.

 

“Look, as far as I can tell, she’s got no criminal record at all. So, I can’t just go poking around in her life. Aren’t those the very basic rights you and Washington were fighting for back in the day, Crane?”

 

“Yes, I suppose they were,” Ichabod admitted glumly. “But, you looked up Miss Jennifer’s record.”

 

“Jenny does have a record. And, I am her sister. That was different. Now, hold on a minute.”

 

Abbie picked up the phone and dialed Miriam Crane’s cell number. It went to voice mail, which she expected since the girl was either on a plane or waiting for one to take off.

 

_Hi Miss Crane,_

_Lieutenant Mills here._

_I agree we should talk in private. Please come to my place as soon as you land and feel up to it. I’ll text you the address._

_Take care._

 

“Okay, Mulder. We got more X-Files to look in to. Come on.”

 

“Lieutenant, what is an X-File?” Crane asked as they headed for the old archives.

 

“Remind me to play Trivial Pursuit with you, sometime,” Abbie shot back, laughing.


	5. The Plane Trip Home

The clearing was jam packed with people. Smoke swirled in the air around her, thick and choking. Miriam pushed and jostled and fought her way to the front of the agitated crowd for a better look.

 

“Oh, no,” Miriam moaned.

“Lilliana!!!”

 

Tied to the burning stake was Lilliana Van Tassell. She sagged horribly against her bonds, her head down, her red hair falling over her face so that her features were obscured, but Miriam knew. Miriam could recognize her anywhere.

 

“Lilly!!!”

 

The scream of total anguish escaped from Miriam’s lips and rang out in a clear bell-like note through the crowd. The previously boisterous gathering stilled almost immediately, and all eyes fell on to Miriam as she hurled herself at the stake and the captive girl.

 

The crowd gasped. Several sets of hands yanked her back, and held her fast.

 

“No. Keep away,” one woman’s voice hissed in her ear.

 

“You must not interfere,” another female voice added.

 

“This is her trial,” a third woman went on relentlessly.

 

“If she fails, we will end her suffering quickly,” the fourth voice promised.

 

“We do not wish to see any being in pain.” they all chorused simultaneously.

 

“What is her crime?” Miriam demanded. “By what right do you sit in judgment of her!”

 

“By the right of blood, her blood,” the women answered back.

 

Miriam did not feel at all comforted by the words of these she-Demons. She struggled with all her strength, but it was as if the very touch of these women drained her energy. She could no longer even scream out loud.

 

A Holy Man approached the stake. Miriam did not recognize the reverend. He had the most evil eyes she had ever seen on any supposed man of the Cloth. As his eyes turned to her, he openly leered in her direction.

 

The crowd cheered with cries of, “Burn the witch! Burn the witch!”

 

As he lit the fires, Lilliana lifted her head, and looked straight at Miriam, her eyes full of bewildered anguish.

 

“Nooooo!!!!”

 

It was as if she felt the fires burning within herself, and yet Miriam felt ice cold. Miriam tore free of her captives and flung herself upon the prone Lilliana. The flames blazed, something hard hit her on the back of her head, and everything went dark...

 

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

 

The wood was so QUIET, So peaceful. It was practically Miriam’S favorite spot in all of Sleepy Hollow. She romped through it in play when she was a small child. She ran there to hide when she was older and life became more difficult. She always ended up there in her dreams.

 

Feeling almost relaxed for the first time in weeks, Miriam wandered among the trees, breathing in the fresh scents. The familiar smells did a lot to sooth her heart.

 

Miriam DID NOT WALK ALONE, however. At first she thought it was Lilliana who walked at her side, but her dream companion was not altogether a welcome one.

 

The woman walked beside her. The woman had hair of FLAME just like Lilliana’s, and eyes filled with such pain, eternal sadness, and endless regrets. The dream woman walked in perfect unison with her.

 

Miriam groaned inwardly. She had not seen this person’s face since the day she had left Sleepy Hollow for the halls of Oxford so many years ago. In truth, it was a face that she had thought she never wanted to see again.

 

“Please, go away,” Miriam told the woman quietly, and kept moving.

 

The other did not hesitate, but kept pace with her, though. As much as she tried to ignore the presence next to her, Miriam could sense the great sadness.

 

Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself against it.

 

“I told you to go away!” Miriam insisted. “I can’t help you. I’m sorry. Now, please tell me where Lilly is and then please leave me alone.”

 

“It is not your aid that I seek, little bird,” the woman said softly. “I seek to help you. You—“

 

Miriam had had enough of this nonsense. All her childhood had been stalked by this beautiful dream woman, and just when she thought it was over, the lady was with her yet again!

 

Miriam rounded on her. Unflinching in the face of the young girl’s anger, the woman stubbornly held her ground.

 

“Do not call me that!” Miriam flared. “I told you never to call me that again! I’m not going back for you.”

 

“Oh, I know you are not,” the woman sighed. “If it were up to me, little bird, you would never return to Sleepy Hollow ever again. I thought you would be safe, living so far away from that town. I swear that on my heart. I thought you would be safe, away from there… away from everything. They promised me.”

 

“Why do you even care?” Miriam demanded, exasperated. The woman always did drag a response out of her in the end. “What is my safety to you? And, who exactly are _they_?”

 

Two tears slid slowly down the woman’s face.

 

“Your safety is everything to me. Oh, my precious little bird. You still do not remember?” It was more of a statement of fact rather than a question.

 

It was difficult. Though she tried to hide it, Miriam was a tender-hearted girl. Still, she struggled against the urge to comfort this woman.

 

Miriam did remember, but the memories were in little bits and pieces. She was still mostly confused by it all.

 

The dream woman sighed.

 

“Can’t you even remember my name?” she whispered.

 

“Katrina.”

 

The lady sounded so terribly sad and lost that the name came out before Miriam could stop herself.

 

“I know your name is Katrina

 

Her tears dried up almost immediately. Katrina Crane beamed over at Miriam, and half turned towards the girl, her arms open and outstretched. The sheer amount of joy from such a simple utterance seemed out of place in Miriam’s opinion. For one awkward moment, she was afraid that Katrina was going to hug her. To Miriam’s great relief, Katrina gathered herself together, and stopped at the last minute, letting her arms fall back to her sides.

 

Miriam opened her mouth to ask a question, but at the sight of Katrina’s face, she quickly closed it again.  The pure joy was gone, and in its place was a look of dread, even terror.

 

“Go!” Katrina commanded.

 

When Miriam did not move immediately, Katrina seized her arms with surprising strength and spun her around.

 

“We shall speak again soon. Now, run!” she commanded the girl, giving her a not-so-gentle shove. “Go back to the main village, hurry!”

 

Miriam ran before she was even aware of doing so. The woman’s words were like an irresistible command, and her body obeyed with little effort on her part. Just before she reached the main road, she slowed, and took one look back over her shoulder.

 

Miriam began to scream…

 

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

 

“Easy now, Love. Just a bit of turbulence is all. Are you all right?”

 

With a gasp, Miriam opened her eyes and stared up at the face of a tall and kindly-looking older woman in a flight attendant’s uniform.

 

“You lot go on about your business now. None of you ever had bad dreams on a plane before? Get on with you! The poor girls’ not some side show,”

 

The woman ushered a few curious passengers away with a brisk wave of her hand before turning all her attention back to Miriam. She put a motherly hand on Miriam’s shoulder.

 

“Can I get you something, dear?” the woman asked, concerned.

 

Miriam straightened with an effort. Gently shrugging off the comforting hand of the older woman, she got slowly to her feet. She felt stiff and sore and glanced at her watch. She’d been asleep for hours.

 

“No thank you, Ma’am,” she told the attendant. “I’m just going to splash some water on my face.”

 

“Well, as you wish, dear. If you need anything, just ask for Molly.”

 

As Miriam made her way towards the ladies’ room, she did not look behind her. If she did, she would have seen the flight attendant called Molly bending over her seat, and carefully plucking one of her hairs from the headrest. The woman studied the hair for a moment before giving a slight smile and stowing it away in a tiny pouch.

 

Gazing in to the bathroom mirror, Miriam was aghast to see how red her eyes were, and how pale her face looked in comparison. The dream still lingered in the back of her mind. It was this far more than the cold water which made her shiver.

 

“Miriam Catherine Crane?”

 

The horrible whispery voice came from the mirror. It was enough to chill anyone’s blood.

Reluctantly, Miriam looked up, and stifled another scream. The thing in the mirror had horns! Of course, she knew there should be nothing at all in the mirror but her own slightly haggard face.

 

_I’m not seeing this_ , she told herself firmly. _It isn’t real! It isn’t real!!!_

 

She could not tear her eyes away from the thing that was not real, though. The demon thing reached for her very soul, and while he could not touch her, yet, she felt its awful tug.

 

“Welcome home, Miriam Catherine,” it purred to her in its evil gravelly voice. “I’ve been waiting for your return, child. Now that your Great Protector is gone--

 

Miriam stiffened indignantly, and her eyes blazed with anger. She knew he was talking about Corbin. _How dare he speak of August Corbin in any fashion!_

 

“Just another prize for my Horsemen,” the demon crooned. “Soon he will have you and Katrina both for his own.”

 

The demon things’ triumphant leer turned in to a startled angry hiss, and Miriam felt a strong arm come about her shoulders. The touch allowed her to wrench her eyes away from the mirror. Twisting her head, she gazed over her shoulder to see a tall handsome boy of sixteen or seventeen standing just behind her. His features almost mirrored her own. And, for someone who was absolutely transparent; Miriam could quite easily see everything behind and through him, his arm felt good and strong against her shoulders. It felt as it had always done, right for his arm to be there.

 

“Oh, Jeremy,” she whispered, awe struck.

 

“Just focus on me, Pretty Little Bird,” Jeremy told her gravely.

 

 The boy gave her shoulders a squeeze then lifted his other hand and gestured passed her towards the mirror. Blue fire shot from his fingers. The demon screamed and vanished, leaving a long crack straight down the center of the glass.

 

Miriam gasped. The sound of the glass breaking scraped across her nerves like a hot knife.

 

 “I’ve told them and told them they need to replace this thing before it falls apart and hurts someone.”

 

That was not the voice of any young man. Miriam shook her head. The boy was gone. All she saw was Molly. The woman stood just behind her with an arm wrapped about her shoulder.

 

“Love, you look like you’ve seen a ghost,” the old woman remarked casually.

 

“And, who’s Jeremy? I know I’m no beauty like you, but no one’s mistaken me for a boy since I turned thirteen.”

 

“Did you,” Miriam began hesitantly. “Did you see anything in that mirror?”

 

Molly frowned, and gave the girl a very serious look.

 

“Well now, a person can see all sorts of things in mirrors,” Molly told her frankly.

“In the olden days, Love, mirrors were believed to be the gateway to the dead. So, they show all kinds of realms. The trick is not to let what you see draw you in too deep.”

 

Miriam wasn’t sure if she should take that as a yes or no, but chose not to argue the matter.

 

“Poor little Lass, you look all done in,” Molly fussed. “I get the feeling you’re not heading home for a party?”

 

“No, anything but,” Miriam told her sadly. Corbin was dead, and Grandpa Tass, which was what Miriam hallways called Lilliana’s grandfather, was also dead. NO, she was not going home for a fun time.

 

Feeling that Molly was right about her condition, Miriam allowed the older woman to help her back to her seat. Settling back, she closed her eyes. Was the strangeness only going to increase the closer she got to Sleepy Hollow?

 

The plane finally landed, almost an hour late, at Albany International Airport. It was good, Miriam thought that there would be no one waiting and worrying for her. No one, unless, Lilliana had actually gotten her message. She had not given the man on the other end of Lilliana’s phone any details of her trip, but it would not be the first time Lilly showed up unexpectedly.

 

_And, it won’t be nearly as pleasant as the last time_. Miriam remembered with a little sad smile quirking the corners of her mouth. The last time Lilliana had shown up without warning had been one of her, Miriam’s, best birthday presents ever, at least most of that weekend had been wonderful, even if the ending was not.

 

As she was about to disembark, Molly beckoned to her. Miriam hung back, letting the other passengers go on ahead.

 

“Don’t worry, Love. Your Lilliana will be just fine, I’m sure,” Molly told her.

 

Miriam’s jaw dropped.

 

“How do you know about Lilliana?” she asked. “How do you know? Did I talk in my sleep? Tel me!”

 

But, the kindly flight attendant called Molly had vanished.


	6. Lilliana

Lilliana closed the door behind her, leaning heavily against it with a long sigh. Working at the bookstore was far more tiring than working in the coffee shop. People came in and placed books in the wrong areas, took the books out of their sleeves, or folded the pages. On top of fixing this, Lilliana was also tasked with unpacking the new shipments of books and finding the right place for them.

 

Though she was able to find another job, Ichabod still rode her tails about going to college and furthering her education, adding to her exhaustion.

 

Pushing away from the door she trudged further into the house. Lilliana walked over to the side table where the answering machine was kept. As she had seen her father do so many times, she walked over and hit the play back button. When the automated voice did not come on Lilliana pressed the button again. Nothing. With a furrowed brow she continued pressing the button.

 

“Why?” she voiced to herself. Picking up the machine she looked it over. It was plugged in, the wires were connected, and she had replaced the backup batteries a couple days ago. Lifting the machine up a little more liquid began to drip out of it.

 

“Ichabod.”

 

With a sigh she set down the machine and found a piece of paper sitting on the table. Picking it up she recognized the formal cursive of Ichabod. Lilliana was ready to crumple it up, assuming it was some kind of apology about his interaction with the technology. However, she paused when she spotted a familiar name.

_Please just tell her Miriam called._

 

“Miriam.” Lilliana stared at the name, flashes of memories passing through her mind. Memories of birthdays, playing games, sleep overs, Halloweens all came rushing back along with the memory of their last meeting.

 

Lilliana sighed and set the note back on the table. Going up to her room she flopped down on her bed and placed her laptop into her lap. Logging on to her email she saw the message waiting for her from Miriam.

 

For a long while Lilliana stared at the message notification, hesitating to open it. They hadn’t exactly parted on good terms the last time they saw each other in England. What if the message was that Miriam was never coming back to Sleepy Hollow and that she wanted nothing to do with Lilliana? Though she doubted that was the case. But what if…

 

“Stop being stupid,” she cursed herself.  “Just look at the email. Just look at the…”

 

Taking in a breath to calm her hammering heart, Lilliana opened the email. Reading through it she found that her suspicions were completely off. “Well…okay then.”

 

Feeling relieved she closed her laptop and rested back on her bed. Miriam had sent her this email saying that she was coming back to town. Did that mean Miriam wanted Lilliana to be at the airport to meet her? Of course it did. Lilliana shouldn’t even need to ask. She knew that girl too well to know that even though Miriam hadn’t asked directly, the message was a request to be met at the airport.

 

Lilliana got off her bed and grabbed her keys. She should go meet Miriam. What reason was there not to? Well…there was that little falling out they had but that shouldn’t stop her. Right?

 

She paused after making half way down the stairs. During this pause Lilliana fought internally with herself.

 

“No,” she finally said to herself. “Just go. It’s not a big deal.”

 

Lilliana made it down the stairs and out the door when she paused once more. “No I’m not going. Forget it….oh just go! Just get in the car Van Tassel.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Today I found one of Corbin’s files with Miriam’s name on it. I didn’t dig in to it because … Crane, Crane! Are you listening to me? What is wrong with you now?”

 

Ichabod frowned and stared uncomprehendingly at Abbie.

 

“I bet your pardon, Lieutenant, but did you say something?“

 

“No, apparently I’m just talking to hear myself talk. I’ve been hanging out with you too much, I guess. Never mind,” Abbie complained.

 

For a heart-stopping moment, Ichabod feared that she might take her hands off the wheel of this marvelous modern wagon in exasperation. His fears were unfounded, however, as Abbie continued to drive on.

 

“I beg your forgiveness for my lapse of attention, dear Miss Mills. Now, did you say your Sherriff had a file on this young girl?” Ichabod asked anxiously.

 

“Well, I assume it’s her. I didn’t dig in to it yet because of that primacy issue we talked about earlier. You know, Crane, if I didn’t know how totally devoted you were to Katrina, I’d say you were quite, um, smitten with this Miriam girl?”

 

Ichabod actually gasped, his face going a bright red.

 

“Lieutenant Mills, Please. I would not—“

 

Abbie laughed.

 

“Hey, I was just kidding. Well, mostly kidding. But, what is it about this girl that’s captivated you so much. She must have one hell of a voice on the phone to affect you like this? Or, is it just the last name of Crane? I hope you aren’t getting your hopes up of finding more relatives.”

 

“I just cannot shake the feeling that I know her,” Ichabod confessed. “Her voice, it just sounded so very terribly familiar to me.”

 

“Well, maybe she’s a witch cousin from your time sent forth by the Angels to aid us in our battle against the forces of evil,” Abbie suggested, trying to tease him out of his strange preoccupation.

 

Ichabod’s head whipped around.

 

“I really wish you would not make light of this, Lieutenant Mills,” he said icily. I find that I am most troubled by it all. And, just so you know, I have no female cousins who sound like Miriam Crane.”

 

“You never heard them over a telephone call, let alone an overseas phone call, correct?”

 

They drove on in silence for a few moments before Ichabod spoke up again.

 

“Lieutenant, pull the car over if you please,” Ichabod voiced as they drove past the Van Tassel home.

 

Abbie pulled the car up to the curb. “What is Lilliana doing?”

 

The two looked on from the car as Lilliana went back and forth between the steps to the front door and the gate leading to the sidewalk. Lilliana came to stand in the middle of the walkway, talking to herself, and tossing her arms up in frustration.

 

Ichabod tilted his head in confusion. “I think my poor niece has gone mad.”

 

“Maybe you should see what’s wrong,” Abbie suggested.

 

“Indeed.” Ichabod got out of the car and made his way towards where Lilliana was having her little fit. “Lilliana? Are you quite well? Would this perhaps have to do with the machine that sits by the front door?”

 

Lilliana’s shoulders dropped as she tilted her head back letting out a sound of frustration.

 

“No Ichabod. This isn’t about that but that doesn’t mean we won’t have a talk about that.”

 

Ichabod bashfully put his hands behind his back. “Yes, well…then what would this fit of madness be about?”

 

“Miriam.”

 

“Miriam? Oh the nice young woman I talked to on the phone!” He smiled at the memory of the young woman’s voice, and tried very hard to sound completely casual. “Did you see the message I left.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“And?”

 

“And she is coming into town today.”

 

He clapped his hands as he said, “Marvelous! Is that where you were heading just now?”

 

“Yes. No. I…” Lilliana looked down at the keys in her hand and then back to the house. “No I don’t think I will go. My soul sister will just have to get a cab or something.”

 

Ichabod watched as Lilliana began to walk back to the house. In a couple long strides he caught her arm, making her stop.

 

“What do you mean? You’re going to make this soul sister of yours take a petty cab instead of being greeted and welcomed by a good friend?”

 

“Well…yes.”

 

“But you mean to let her stay here with us yes?”

 

“I hadn’t thought about that.” Lilliana tried to get her arm out of his grasp. “I assumed she was going to stay in a hotel.”

 

Ichabod tightened his hold on her. “No this will not due.”

 

“I’m sorry?”

 

“My wife told you that family is needed yes?”

 

Lilliana rolled her eyes. “She was talking about you stupid not Miriam.”

 

“Regardless, she meant family in general! You call this girl your soul sister. Is that not family?”

 

Lilliana stopped fighting against his grip and narrowed her eyes at him.

 

“Look you don’t know my relationship with Miriam okay? So just back off a bit.”

 

“I will do no such thing.”

 

He began to tug her along as he walked back towards Abbie’s car. “Come along niece! We are going to pick up Miriam.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The character of Lilliana Van Tassel is used by permission from and owned by an author called theD0ct0rD0nna. I thank her for letting me include her in my fic. Also posted on FFN.


	7. The Drive

Abbie watched Crane and his Niece for several moments before she felt compelled to intervene.

 

“Crane! Stop that!”

 

Abbie jumped from the car, and strode quickly to intercept Ichabod and his niece, who he still held captive by her arm.

 

“Let that girl go, Crane,” Abbie told him firmly. “This isn’t the eighteenth century. You can’t just pull her around like that, and you can’t make her go anywhere she doesn’t want to go.”

 

Abbie firmly removed Ichabod’s hand from Lilliana’s arm.

 

“I’m sorry,” she apologized to the girl. “He means well, I think, but—“

 

Lilliana shrugged. Abbie didn’t think the younger woman looked upset by Crane’s behavior. Still, Abbie just couldn’t stand by and watch that, could she?

 

“its okay, Lieutenant Mills. I know he can’t help it. It’s the eighteenth century British in him.”

 

Abbie suppressed a grin as Lilliana smirked at her several times removed Uncle.

 

“I’ll go with you,” the girl went on to Abbie. “But, can you just give me five or ten minutes? He’s right, she should stay here. My Grandfather will roll over n his grave if I don’t at least try and offer her a roof over her head.”

 

 _And, she also wants a bit of time alone to process all this_ , Abbie thought as the girl turned and ran back in to the house and up the stairs.

 

Abbie tugged Crane back to the car. She leaned against it and glared at him.

 

“Crane, I thought we talked this out. You’re doing this on purpose. What part of I’d-like-to-meet-with-this girl-alone didn’t you understand?”

 

“I have not insinuated myself in to your talk about Sheriff Corbin, Lieutenant,” Crane insisted stubbornly. ”but do you not feel that it would be prudent, if not just simply very polite, to let the poor girl get settled in and comfortable before dragging up painful memories?”

 

The argument continued unabated for several minutes.

 

“Ahem! Hello? Hey … _Excuse me!_ ”

 

The clearing of a throat and the loud voice made them both jump. They looked around to see Lilliana Van tassel sitting calmly in the back of the car. She was grinning at the two of them.

 

“This is fun and all that, but are we gonna hit the road or what?” she asked mildly. “We wait long enough, and she really will take a cab.”

 

Abbie waited for Crane to get in to the front passenger seat, then slid in beside him, and started the engine. Cautiously, she studied Lilliana Van Tassel’s reflection in the rear view mirror. Had the girl been crying? Abbie couldn’t tell for sure.

 

“Lieutenant,” the Van tassel girl spoke up after they’d been driving for a while. “Why did you want to see Merriam alone? Is she, um, she’s not in some kind of trouble with the police, is she?”

 

‘If she were, I couldn’t say,” Abbie said. But since she isn’t, I can say that.  NO, she’s not in trouble with the law. But Corbin, Sheriff Corbin that is, has left many things that I’m supposed to give to her. I don’t have any idea what those things are, but he specifically asked that I not leave her alone while she receives them.”

 

Abbie hesitated, again glancing at the girl through the mirror.

 

“I don’t have a clue what they are either, Lieutenant,” Lilliana answered Abbie’s unspoken questions. “I knew that she always like Sheriff Corbin a lot. Even when we were little kids, she trusted him completely. But, that’s as far as my knowledge goes.”

 

Abbie sighed inwardly. So much for delicately probing for more info about Corbin’s connection from this girl.

 

“I am so very sorry I never got to make the acquaintance of your Sheriff Corbin,” Crane said quietly, speaking to no one in particular. “I feel that I have missed meeting the town’s Guardian Angel.”

 

A huge lump formed in Abbie’s throat. She quickly swallowed it down. _Guardian Angel!_ That perfectly described Corbin.

 

“So, just what were you doing in there, Niece?” Crane asked Lilliana. Abbie thought he sounded a little blunt about it. At least she tried to be tactful when questioning the girl.

 

“Getting her old room ready,” was Lilliana’s terse reply.

 

“Her old room? So, she did live with your family, then?”

 

Out of the corner of her eye, Abbie saw Crane twist in his seat to look back at his niece, his expression intense.

 

“She did for a while before she was adopted by some other family. They only lived a little ways away, still in Sleepy Hollow. So, she still stayed with us most weekends, and we saw each other all the time until she left for Oxford. “

 

“Why didn’t the Van Tassels adopt her? Who were her natural parents? What happened to her adopted parents? Are they still alive?”

 

Abbie felt her head spin a little at his rapid fire succession of questions. _Remind me to have him train as an interrogator sometimes_ , she thought.

 

“Crane!” Abbie spluttered. “Will you please get a grip? It’s really none of your business!”

 

“Never stopped him before,” Lilliana muttered.

 

“I don’t know. I don’t know. They both died,” Lilliana answered Crane’s questions in order. “Well, one died, the woman, when we were around ten. She was such a nice old lady. The other just disappeared without a trace. He went out to get us pizza one night when we were fourteen and he never came home again.”

 

Abbie kept one ear on the conversation as she sped on towards the Albany Airport. She still felt that Crane was being nosy, but as long as Lilliana didn’t protest, it was none of her business.

 

They pulled in to a parking garage and found a spot. Crane started to get out, but Abbie put a hand on his arm.

 

“Hold on, crane. Unless Miss Van Tassel wants you to go with her, there is absolutely no reason why you should be waiting to ambush that girl.”

 

“Ambush?” Crane protested. “I would never ambush any female for any reason, Lieutenant.”

 

Ignoring both of them, Lilliana slipped out of the car and left them to it as she made her slow way towards the gate.


	8. Old Wounds

The extra large over stuffed carry-on bag felt like it weighed a ton. And, the smaller suitcase wasn’t helping matters, either.

 

From the looks that people were giving her, Miriam could tell they thought it was either too heavy for her or that she was unhder the influence of something.  She figured that the people sitting closest to her on the plane would definitely suspect the latter, given her behavior.

 

Feeling slightly light-headed from the odd events and trying very hard not to think of the amazing disappearing flight attendant let alone the other unsettling parts of the trip, Miriam stumbled determinedly onward, ignoring the more distrustful looks and politely declining any kinder offers of help. Her only goal in life for that very moment was a good solid bench in a quiet area for a minute or two or perhaps sixty.

 

“Hey, Princess? Over here!”

 

The woman’s voice calling out did not immediately register in Miriam’s tired bemused mind.

 

“Miriam Crane!

 

Reluctantly slowing her pace, Miriam gazed around the crowd, searching for the speaker. A large smile lighted her face even as her mouth fell open in astonishment, and her heart lifted just a little bit.

 

“Jennifer? Jennifer Mills?” she exclaimed.

 

The two women made their way toward one another through the throng. The sudden change of motion pulled Miriam even more off balance. When she caught up with Jenny, the other put one hand on Miriam’s shoulder to steady her and one hand on the bulging bag.

 

“God, you got a body in here or what? What happened to that fancy case with the nice wheels Corbin got for you?” Jenny asked, grinning.

 

Miriam cleared her throat.

 

“Um, you blew it up, remember?” she reminded Jenny.

 

“Oh, yeah. Sorry about that, but it was for a good cause.”

 

“Isn’t it always,” Miriam chortled, hugging Jenny. She felt so relieved to see a friendly face that she could have cried.

 

“Hey, come on, people are getting the wrong idea about our relationship,” Jenny murmured, but she returned the other woman’s hug.

 

“How did you know I was coming today? I—“

 

Miriam trailed off. Catching a glimpse of very familiar-looking red hair past Jenny’s shoulder, she drew back.

 

“Oh, excuse me for a moment, Jenny. Just wait right here, and watch my bag, please?”

 

She dropped both bags in front of Jenny. Now free of there unwieldy size and weight, she sprinted towards one of the exits through which the red hair had just disappeared.

 

“Don’t open them,” she called absently over her shoulder back at Jenny then forged on.

 

“Lilliana! Hey, Lilly? Where are you going?”

 

Miriam finally caught up with her soul sister just outside the gate, and hugged her even more enthusiastically then she did Jenny. She did start to cry then, just a little bit.

 

‘You did get my email then? Oh, Lill, I can’t tell you how good it is to see you! And, you’re alright! Wait, what’s the matter?

 

Lilliana felt a bit stiff. Feeling suddenly uncomfortable, Miriam released her and stepped away

 

“Oh, you didn’t get in to trouble at work just to come out and meet me, did you? That’s why I didn’t ask you to come, Lill. I know what a beast your manager can be, sometimes. Perhaps if I speak with him--”

 

“NO, no I didn’t get in to trouble at work.” Lilliana interrupted her.

 

She watched as Lilliana’s face softened just a bit at the sight of the few tears glistening in Miriam’s green eyes. Stepping forward, Lilliana hugged her soul sister back. When she did, Miriam noticed that Lilliana’s eyes were a bit wet, too.

 

“Well, aren’t we a sight,” Miriam murmured.

 

“Listen, come back with me for a moment,” she said. She turned and walked back in to the main gate area. Since she was still holding on to Lilliana by the hand, the girl was sort of towed along in her wake.

 

“I really wasn’t expecting to meet anyone here, Lilly. Um, do you know Jennifer Mills? Jenny this is Lilliana Van Tassel.”

 

“So, you’re Lilly? Hi,”

 

Jenny held out a hand and Miriam was aghast when Lilliana did not take it.

 

“Yeah, hi,” was all she said in reply.

 

Jenny let her hand drop, and a very tense silence stretched out between the three young women.

 

“Well, it looks like you don’t need a ride home after all,” Jenny said. “Are you staying long?”

 

“Er, yes,” Miriam looked very uneasily back and forth between the other women. “I believe I’ll be staying in town permanently this time.”

 

“Great. We can catch up soon, then.”

 

Miriam started to protest, but Jenny patted her shoulder. Before she left, she grasped the straps of the carry-all bag and slipped them over Lilliana’s head.

 

Lilliana’s knees buckled for a minute before she regained control of herself. She shot a glare at Jenny, but did not drop the bag.

 

“I’ll see you around town, Miriam.” Jenny promised. “We’ll catch up on old times.”

 

“You can help her with this thing, can’t you?” Jenny said innocently to Lilliana then she walked briskly away.

 

Once Jenny was out of earshot, Miriam turned to Lilliana. She was horribly embarrassed by the girl’s rudeness.

 

“Really, Lilliana. That was uncalled for,” Miriam protested. She tried to take her bag back, but Lilliana stubbornly refused to release it.

  
“So, how and when did you ever start hanging out with Crazy Thieving Jenny Mills?” Lilliana demanded.

 

“Lilliana!”

 

Miriam was astounded. There was being blunt, which was sometimes a part of Lilliana’s charm, but this was going entirely too far.

 

Her head began to pound, but Miriam tried to keep a grip on her own anger.

 

“Look, Lilly, I expected you might be a bit put out with me. I could have a bone or two to pick with you, truth to tell. But we don’t need to go in to that here, do we?”

 

Miriam was painfully aware of many people staring at them. She loathed being the center of attention like this.

 

“What bone to pick do you possibly have with me?” Lilliana exclaimed indignantly”I’m not the one who ran away to England.”

 

Bowing to the inevitable, and figuring it might be better just to get the worst of it out in the open, Miriam gave in.

 

“Corbin!” she cried. “Sheriff August Corbin of Sleepy Hollow is murdered, but do I hear of this from my precious sol Sister? No! I first saw it plastered on the net version of the hometown paper, and then had to hear about it from Lieutenant Abigail Mills, practically a total stranger! But, at least, she did call and talk to me, herself, though it wasn’t easy for her. What happened, Lilly? Did you forget how to use the telephone? If the call was too expensive, you could have always called collect,” Miriam finished acidly.

 

Lilliana’s face blanched. She opened and closed her mouth several times before turning on her heel and marching out of the gate. Since she still held the carry-all bag, Miriam was more or less forced to pick up the smaller case and follow her.

 

 _Some welcome home_ , she thought miserably. _Now she’s holding my things for ransom_.

 

Neither woman spoke until they arrived at the car. Though she didn’t remember if they’d ever met in person, Miriam immediately recognized Abigail mills. She still had the photos of Abbie’s academy graduation that Corbin had so proudly sent to her.

 

“Good lord, Lilly! You brought the police with you, two of them? I did not realize that not writing or calling regularly was considered a crime these days in the States. Maybe they’ll let us share a cell? Since we are both guilty.”

 

Lieutenant Mills popped open the trunk of the car, and she and her partner got out and came to meet them. When Miriam’s eyes fell on the man, she blinked twice, and then literally froze in her tracks.

 

“My dear Mistress Crane,” the man was saying. Was he actually bowing to her? “I cannot possibly express how pleased I am to be making your acquaintance.”

 

In a daze, Miriam held out her hand. The man took it gravely. She actually trembled a little at his touch.

 

He bowed over her hand.

 

“My name is Ichabod—“

 

He still spoke, but she didn’t hear what else he said. His voice slid slowly away, and she was only vaguely aware of sudden cries of concern, was that Lilliana crying out her name?  The anxious voices were all around her, but they were also gently fading in to blackness.

 

She did not feel the man’s arms coming around to surround her. She did not feel him lift her up and cradle her. Miriam Catherine fainted.


	9. Familiar Stranger

As the minor drama was unfolding between the two girls in the airport, Ichabod and Abbie continued their argument in the car.

“It is so comforting to know you think me an out of control despot, Lieutenant,” Ichabod said.  
“I admit that I can be sometimes a little overzealous in my actions, but Lilliana can tell you—“

He trailed off. Looking in to the back of the car, he discovered his niece had left. He had no idea how long she had been gone.

“Tell me, Lieutenant, is it common for young women of this time to be so stealthy?” he asked.

Abbie grinned.

“I think that girl missed her calling,” she remarked.  
“She should have gone to the police academy. The way she can slip around, she’d be great under cover.”

Hmm, the local Constabulary. Now this was something that hadn’t occurred to Ichabod. Perhaps he would suggest this to Lilliana as another educational/career option. If she was so adamant about not going to college, this might peak her interest, instead.

“Just sit back and relax, Crane,” Abbie advised him.  
“More than half the planes coming in to this place are always late. We could be hear a while.”

For once, Ichabod followed Abbie’s suggestion. He leaned back and closed his eyes. He was just starting to doze when the sound of the cars storage compartment opening roused him.

“Hey sleepy head. Jenny says ‘Hi’, and, they’re here, Lilliana and Miss Crane, that is,” Abbie said.

“Er,” Ichabod yawned and stretched. “Miss Jenny was here?” He stifled another yawn.  
“Why was she here?”

Before Abbie could answer, Ichabod roused himself from the seat, and leaned forward to stare out the car windshield. The first person he saw was his niece. Lilliana was marching along, gripping a large bag as if she intended to use it either as a shield or as a weapon.

Oh dear. Whatever is the matter with her now, Ichabod wondered.

Whatever was troubling his niece left his mind as he saw the young woman trailing behind her? Miriam Catherine Crane, if this was indeed her, was a lovely little creature, small an slight of build with brilliant green eyes and long beautiful chestnut hair hanging in one thick braid down her back. She was also the most modestly dressed female Ichabod had seen since he arrived in this strange time.

At the sight of her, Ichabod was more certain than ever that he knew her … or that he should know her. She strongly reminded him of someone, but who?

“Crane, c’mon, take it easy!” he heard Abbie warn him as they both got out of the car.

Ignoring her, Ichabod stepped forward eagerly, and greeted the young lady with all the eloquence and gentlemanly manners he could muster. The next moment, he was sweeping her in to his arms as she fainted.

“Miss Crane! Miss Crane! Lieutenant, please?” he cried in consternation.

The girl had practically no weight. In fact, she felt so very light to him, almost as if she should not be in this world at all. Ichabod half expected the little waif of a girl to fade from his arms right then and there.

The next few moments were a blur for poor Ichabod.   
He busied himself by stowing Miss Miriam’s luggage in the trunk of the car while Lieutenant Mills and Lilliana fussed over the girl.

“Crane, get over here,” Abbie beckoned him over.  
“Just ease her in the back seat. Watch her head. Okay, that’s it.”

Ichabod only hesitated a moment. He was almost certain that it was his fault she had collapsed, though he did not understand why.

After the girl was installed in the back of the car with her head cradled in Lilliana’s lap, Crane took his place next to Abbie in the front seat. He barely heard Lilliana’s explanations that Miriam used to be prone to these fainting spells under stress, but not since they were little. He was desperately worried.

“Lieutenant, can you not make this machine go faster?” Ichabod urged.

“Faster? Oh, yeah, a lot faster,” Abbie agreed eagerly.  
“Turn back around Crane and fasten the seatbelts, folks. Here we go.”

She turned on the siren and her emergency lights and put her foot down. The sudden acceleration slammed Ichabod back in to his seat and caused Lilliana to say something no proper young lady should ever say out loud.

The girl stirred a little just as they got on the main highway.

“Hey, take it easy,” he heard Lilliana say soothingly in the back seat.  
“Just rest a bit, okay. We’ll be home soon…sooner than soon the way the Lieutenant is driving.”

Ichabod twisted around as best he could while in the cars safety restraints and peered anxiously at the two young women.

“Miss Crane, I am so very sorry if I er, if I startled you in any way,” Ichabod apologized. Hesitantly, he reached out his hand again. He felt almost compelled to do so. He waited for a response from someone, but the girl still lay fretfully in Lilliana’s lap. And, thankfully Lieutenant Mills kept her eyes fixed firmly on the road before them. Sighing with frustration, Ichabod twisted back around in his seat and stared moodily out the car windows.


	10. connections

As they sped back towards Sleepy Hollow, Abbie battled inwardly with herself. A part of her, the trained police Lieutenant part, wanted to rush Miriam Crane to a hospital. She looked like a good puff of wind might blow her away any minute.

Another part of her was curious. Abbie had caught a glimpse of the girl’s face just before she crumpled in to Ichabod’s arms, and the look was one of recognition, and was it also fear? Fear of Ichabod or something else?

And, what the hell did Jenny have to do with all this? Abbie refused to believe her sister’s being at the airport the same time Miriam’s flight was coming in was a coincidence. She no longer believed in coincidences at all.

The only thing Abbie was sure about was that this evening was definitely not the right time to dig in to Miriam’s part of Corbin’s will.

“How’s it going back there?” Abbie asked without taking her eyes from the road.

“She’s still out, but her color, what there ever was of it, is coming back,” Lilliana reported.

Abbie noted that the girl sounded a little concerned but not overly worried.

“Believe me Lieutenant Mills, once Miriam’s out, she can sleep through almost anything. She slept through a tornado once. My Grandpa had to carry her down to the cellar.”

Next to her, Abbie felt Crane give a slight start.

“Just like Katrina,” she heard him mutter almost under his breath.

“What was that, Crane?” Abbie asked.

“Hmmm? Oh, nothing at all. Just pondering, Lieutenant.”

“Right--”

Abbie was not convinced. She knew he had mentioned Katrina, but she let it go for now.

It took no time to arrive back at the Van Tassel house. Abbie and Lilliana took Miriam’s bags while Crane carried her upstairs to her bedroom.

Abbie was wondering if she should not slip away quietly when Crane came downstairs. He looked troubled.

“Lilliana’s tending her,” he answered Abbie’s concerned look as he led her in to the kitchen.

“Okay, Crane. Just what the hell happened there, anyway?” Abbie demanded as they sat at the kitchen table. He flinched. Abbie realized that she had sounded much sharper then she had intended.

“It’s not your fault, crane,” Abbie tried to sooth him even though she was not entirely sure if it were true. “There’s something called jet lag. That’s probably what happened—“

“Please, Lieutenant,” Crane broke in.   
“I do not know what this jet lag of yours is, precisely, but we both know that is not what happened. I—“

He broke off helplessly.

“I felt something,” Crane went on quietly.  
“I cannot explain it, but it was like … like a jolt of energy. When I looked in to her eyes, and when the girl touched my hand, I felt … I felt as if a part of me I did not know existed had finally come home, a most vital part.”

“And, yes, I know how that sounds,” he added quickly.

“Look, Crane,” Abbie began hesitantly.  
“Now I don’t want you getting all excited. But, well, there’s a test you both can take that might tell us just how or if you are related. It’s called a DNA test.”

“D N A?” Crane sounded totally bewildered.

“Yeah, without getting too scientific, it’s the building blocks that we’re all made up of. These days we can trace families by means of this test. It’s used a lot in child custody cases, sad to say.” Gets a lot of dead beat Dads to pay what they owe their kids.”

“Dead beat Dads.”

“Lieutenant, are you telling me that men in this day and age need some kind of external test to prove to them the identity of their own children?”

Abbie hid a smile. He sounded completely appalled and absolutely outraged. 

“Not all men, of course. But, well, enough. And some women do lie about parentage. Or, they’ve slept with so many that they honestly don’t know.”

Damn! Too much info, Abbie scolded herself at the look on Crane’s face.

“Never mind about that, Crane. The point is that if Miriam Crane is willing, we can take a sample of your and her DNA, and the labs can tell us if you have another relative in this time or not.”

“When can we perform this test?” Crane asked anxiously.

“When and if we get her permission,” Abbie said sternly. “But I wouldn’t suggest you bring it up tonight. Let the girl settle down first, crane. I have this feeling that there are enough shocks coming for her with whatever Corbin has left behind.”

Lilliana appeared in the kitchen.

“Don’t mind me. She’s starting to come around, though. Just getting us some hot chocolate. You two want any?”

“No thanks,” Abbie said rising to her feet. “I should be going. I want to talk with Jenny. Crane, you’ll call if you need anything.”

“Absolutely, Lieutenant,” crane assured her. Lilliana nodded agreement from the counter where she stirred two cups of steaming coco, and Abbie waved Crane back to his seat and showed herself out.

Jenny was at home when Abbie arrived.

‘You’re back early,” she commented gazing up at Abbie from the couch. “I left some dinner in the kitchen.”

“Thanks, but you don’t have to cook for me, Jenny,” Abbie told her.

Jenny snorted.

“I’ve eaten your cooking before, Abbie. Thought you might want something good for a change.”

Abbie bit her lip and let that slide. Jenny was right. She was not a good cook.

“Why were you at the airport this evening?” she asked her sister bluntly.

“Meeting a friend,” Jenny replied shortly.

Abbie could almost feel her sister’s shields going up.

“Hey, this isn’t an interrogation, Jenny. I was just curious. Is that friend Miriam Crane?”

Jenny shrugged.

“How do you know her?”

“Corbin,” was all Jenny said.

“Was there nothing that man didn’t have his hands in?” Abbie sighed exasperatedly.

‘Nope, not much,” Jenny said with a slight smile. “Look, is Miriam in some kind of trouble, Abbie?”

“No, but—“

Jenny stared at her for a long moment.

“We’ were in the same class at school, of course. But, we really met years ago, at the cabin, Corbin’s cabin. And we seem to keep running in to each other there off and on. Corbin sort of, well, he sort of asked me to look after her. He always said she had important dangerous things that she had to do, and he wanted someone they could trust to watch her back while she did it.”

“Important dangerous things,” Abbie replied thoughtfully. “What does she do, Jenny?”

“Aside from being the Queen of the bookworms, you mean? She’s, uh, she’s special … talented. I don’t know whether to call her a psychic or actually call her a witch, but she can do things, Abbie. I’ve seen her do some pretty freaky stuff.”

Abbie dropped down on to the couch next to her sister.

“Another witch. Oh, that’s just what we need around here.”

Her sister’s face hardened.

“Corbin trusted her completely Abbie,” Jenny admonished. “So do I.”

“Oh, do you?”

Abbie knew that for tonight the conversation about Miriam Crane was over, and she cursed herself for sounding too much like a police officer again.

Abbie was a bit jealous. Whoever or whatever this girl was, she had obviously made an impression on both Corbin and Jenny. And, Jenny was closer to her than she was to Abbie just now.

Reminding herself that a lot of the problems between her and Jenny were mostly her own fault, Abbie got up and went to get whatever Jenny had cooked for her. A little meal and a hot shower might do wonders just now.


	11. Is this just a dream or a memory?

“My name is Ichabod … Ichabod … Ichabod Crane …”

  

 

Even as the present slipped away, Miriam heard the man’s calm gentle voice echo inside her head. Did he say his Sir name was crane? No, it couldn’t be him.

 

 

She sank down in to unconsciousness. Miriam’s spirit was torn in two different directions. A part of her was very aware of the present, of being picked up and gently placed in to a vehicle. Someone, was it Katrina, cradled her head as the vehicle began to move. However, only part of her remained in that vehicle. Another part of her was irresistibly drawn back, back to her past, back to a time she tried to forget.

 

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

 

“Mama?”

 

 

“No, sweet pea, I’m not your Mama.”

 

 

The very kind dark skinned woman held a young Miriam in one arm, anda little boy of the same tender age in the other. She bounced them up and down and tickled them as she spoke.

 

 

“Your Mama’s name is Katrina,” the nice lady told both Miriam and the little boy.

“Your Mama’s name is Katrina, and your Papa’s name is Ichabod, and they love you both a whole lot.”

“Suppose you can say I’m your aunt. Can you say Auntie Grace?”

 

 

“Grace, be sensible now woman. Our little Mites here are too young to talk,” said a deep but equally kind voice.

 

 

“Hush up, Joe, she told her husband. “They talk with one another all the time. We just do not understand what they say, that’s all.

“If they can talk twin talk, they can start to learn our words, too.”

 

 

“C’mon now, I’m Auntie Grace and this is Uncle Joe.”

 

 

“Auntie,” both Miriam and the boy said clearly and in absolute perfect unison. “Auntie, Auntie, Auntie.”

 

 

“Ha! What’d I tell you,” Grace gloated to her husband.

 

 

The man was laughing as the lady grinned down and put them both in to a double cradle. She tucked warm quilts about them before kissing their foreheads. She rocked them slowly while she sang them to sleep. Before the two toddlers nodded off, they turned and wrapped their arms about one another’s necks.

 

 

Both Grace and Joe looked down at them with a sad soft smile on their faces.

 

 

“Sleep tight, my little Cranes.” The husband and wife whispered together as they patted the two children on their heads then left the room.

 

 

Once they were alone, the twin boy and girl began babbling very softly to one another in their own private baby language.

 

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

 

The scene shifted once more

 

 

Loud screams rang piercingly in her head. Little Miriam was being carried quickly away in a pair of strong arms. The little boy was not with her. He was screaming at the top of his lungs.

 

 

“Miri! Miri! No, no NO!!!!”The boy was screaming, and Grace was running alongside and sobbing as if her heart would break.

 

 

“Don’t worry, Misses,” the man carrying Miriam tried to reassure the woman.

“We’ll keep her safe, and get her back to you as soon as we can. But, those bad witches are coming now. Can’t let ‘em get both the babies. It’s the Preacher’s orders.”

 

 

Grace knew that with Miriam gone, Jeremy would be very difficult to control. The little boy did not take kindly to being away from his twin sister even for one second, not kindly at all. And, Miriam was the only one who could calm his moods and keep his fires under control.

 

 

The poor distraught woman reached out and clutched Miriam to her one last time, and wept in to the little girl’s hair.

 

 

“Be a good little girl for Young Johnny here, Princess,” she told Miriam sorrowfully.

“I’ll be seeing you soon. We’ll take good care of your brother.”

 

 

Grace turned away. Sobbing even harder she ran back to where her husband Joe was struggling with the furious young boy.

 

 

Miriam wriggled in the man’s arms, trying to look back from where she came.

 

 

“You just keep your head down, Pretty,” Young John Corbin told the little girl. She sniffled a bit, but at least she was not howling her head off like her poor brother.

“You just keep that pretty head down and I’ll keep you safe.”

 

 

“Jeri?” Miriam asked tearfully. “Want Jeri.”

 

 

“Jeremy will be safe too, honey, the man soothe her as he jumped on to the back of the wagon. He began to dig out a deep depression in the load of hay, and settled the little girl in to it.

 

 

“No,” little Miriam moaned. “No, Jeri, no burn.”

 

 

John Corbin suppressed a shiver. The little boy’s ability to start fires was already well known in the community. The people were getting more scared all the time. Add that to the three Hags searching for the Crane’s girl child and what you had was a big old mess.

 

 

“Now you need to be quiet for Johnny, Princess,” the man whispered. “Just as quiet as a little field mouse, okay? I know that you love it when I drive fast, but don’t laugh or cry or make a sound, understand?”

 

 

Little Miriam looked up at the big man through her tears and put one tiny finger to her lips. In spite of the seriousness of their plight, John laughed.

 

 

“Smart as a whip, ain’t ya. And, pretty to boot.”

 

 

He tickled her chin, and she grimaced at him.

 

 

“There’s my good girl. You just curl up and don’t’ be scared.”

 

 

He gave her braid a gentle tug before covering her in the fragrant hay and leaping deftly in to the driver’s seat. He spurred the horses and they took off at a full gallop. He had to get her to the Reverend’s house, but already he could hear something coming up behind them. It was not a Horse. It was, in fact, not human.

 

 

Pulling a charm the reverend had given him from the neck of his work shirt, John Augustus Corbin shouted something and threw the charm. His aim was true. It struck there pursuer and erupted in bright blue flames. There was an inhuman ungodly scream, and he put the whip to the horses to make them go even faster.

 

 

They were almost there. The Reverend could fight off this fiend. John knew however, that they were not going to make it in time. The thing was already after them. It was gaining fast.

 

 

John Corbin muttered a quick prayer, not so much for himself because he knew his life had come to its end, but for the child.

Her Mother, Katrina Crane, once saved John’s life with her gentle healing arts, and he would defend her child for that gift.

 

 

He would die before he would let that thing from Hell take this precious little girl to those horrible hags. He would protect little Miriam Catherine Crane with his last drop of blood.

 

 

And, he did exactly that.

 

 

Terrified by the sounds, the little girl peaked out of the hey in time to see big John battling with some terrible-looking monster. Then his body erupted in bright red fountains. Miriam screamed, and all was darkness.

 

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

 

The vehicle accelerated, and Miriam moaned and stirred in her sleep.

 

 

“Take it easy. We’re nearly home.”

 

 

That voice? So, it was Katrina after all.

 

 

“Katrina?” Her lips barely formed the name before she settled back down again.

 

 

Miriam’s sighed. Perhaps Grace was right after all?

 

 

Meanwhile, Lilliana alternated between gazing down at her sleeping Sol sister and the back of Ichabod’s head. She heard what Miriam had said, though she doubted the other two in the car had heard it. Had Miriam just called her Katrina? Just what did Miriam know about Katrina, anyway?

 

 

_As if my life wasn’t weird enough_ , Lilliana Van Tassel thought resignedly as her home came in to view.


	12. Back Home

The smell of hot chocolate on the nightstand and the sounds of whispering arguing voices just outside the door brought Miriam up from her deep dark well of dreams. Dreams or memories … or whatever was happening to her.

 

“I am certainly capable of going to the marketplace and getting the supplies on your little list—“

 

She knew that voice. It was the man from the airport.

 

The name Ichabod Crane was threatening to bounce around her head again. This time Miriam mentally squashed it before it could get a toehold on her mind.

 

“Oh, sure you are,” answered a girl’s voice.

 

Miriam suppressed a grin. She knew those tones anywhere. Lilliana’s voice virtually dripped of sarcasm.

_What, her new boyfriend can’t even be trusted to go to the store by himself,_ Miriam wondered half amused half concerned. _Exactly what kind of a nutter has Lilli landed herself with? And, does she really expect me to stay here in this house with the two of them?_

 

Lilliana continued to speak.

 

“Look, just sit tight here and hold the fort until I get back. Holding forts should be right up your alley, right?”

 

Keeping her eyes squeezed shut, Miriam lay perfectly still and listened even though she did not quite understand the contexts.

 

_Holding forts is his thing? So, he’s some kind of soldier, then. Probably is not adjusted to being back in civilian life quite yet, poor chap. Well, at least that explains why she doesn’t want him wondering around on his own in a store full of people._

 

“I doubt she’ll wake up,” Lilliana went on.

“And even if she does, well … Oh, hell, just try not to scare her too much, alright? Tell her I just nipped down to the store and I’ll be right back with more coco. We’re out.”

 

They were walking away now. The man muttered something else Miriam could not quite hear.

 

Taking a deep breath, Miriam forced her eyes open and sat up very slowly and cautiously as if she expected her surroundings to melt from beneath her with every movement. Her shoes had been removed and placed neatly beside the bed, and her coat hung in plain sight in the open closet across the room. Other than that, all her clothes still rested against her body in the right places.

 

Flicking on a bedside lamp, the bemused girl looked around the room. At last Miriam knew full well where she was, the Van Tassel house. And, if this was the Van Tassel house, the one in the present, then that voice was not Katrina. No, Katrina’s voice always had that hint of a British accent to it. Then it was most certainly Lilliana’s voice.

Why had she ever thought it belonged to the Katrina from her dreams?

 

The front door slammed. Shortly after, Miriam could hear the sound of a car door also being shut. The car engine purred to life and it moved away.

 

So, she was now left alone in the house with the Unknown Soldier. The thought did not particularly please her.

 

_Wonderful! This is precisely what I needed. Lilli could have at least formally introduced me to her boyfriend before she went grocery shopping! Even a chocolate run could have waited one Bloody minute, don’t you think?_

Miriam smiled to herself. _Oh, okay, I suppose that I can excuse a chocolate run. Something tells me that my dear Soul Sister and I have more catching up to do than either of us can imagine._

_Getting slowly out of bed, Miriam stretched until most of her joints popped. She made her way in to the bathroom, and firmly closed and locked the door behind her. Leaning heavily on the sink, the girl deliberately avoided looking in to the mirror above it, afraid of what she might see there._

_“Peek, sweet Miri.”_

_“What the--?”_

_Uttering a little scream, she fell off the edge of the sink, and narrowly avoided hitting her head on the bowl of the toilet._

_Finding her feet again, she straightened up and glared at the mirror to find the ghostly teenaged boy standing there, watching her calmly. He looked as if he were trying not to laugh. He also looked as though it was not much of a chore for him, not laughing._

_“Are you trying to kill me?” Miriam demanded of the spirit boy._

_He actually gasped, and looked quite hurt._

_“Why, of course not! You know I would never seek to harm—“_

_“OH, very well, Jeremy. It was just a figure of speech,” Miriam told him tiredly._

_“But please! Can’t you let me get settled in at least one night before these little visitations begin?”_

_“I fear not, Pretty Bird. There is something you need to know. I—“_

_Footsteps bounded up the stairs. Miriam and the ghost in the mirror froze simultaneously._

_“Go now, quickly! Disappear!” Miriam commanded._

_The boy vanished._

_“Miss Crane?”_

_Lilliana’s soldier, Ichabod Whoever, stood outside the bathroom door. The sound of his voice made her tremble._

_The man tapped on the bathroom door again, harder this time._

_“Forgive my intrusion, Miss Crane. But the door to your bed chamber was partially ajar. I thought I heard a scream. Are you well?”_

_Miriam took several slow deep breaths to calm herself. It was not working. Just the sound of his voice made her feel odd._

_“Miss Crane!”_

_He tapped on the door harder now._

_“I do not mean to be blunt, but if I do not hear some signs of life within the next ten seconds, I shall enter that bathing chamber by any means necessary. I shall apologize now if I disturb you in a state of … well … of undress.”_

_The man cleared his throat and coughed uncomfortably, but Miriam barely noticed that. His statement got her to react, however. Digging through the medicine cabinet, she extracted a razor blade and carefully palmed it._

_“Back away!” Miriam snapped._

_“I beg your pardon, Miss?”_

_“If you will please back away from the door, I will come out now, but not one moment before,” Miriam told him sternly._

_“Oh, of course.”_

_“Get well back!”_

_Listening to his footsteps retreating, Miriam cracked the door and peered out anxiously. The man was standing all the way back in the bedroom door._

_He’s blocking the door,_ a part of her warned. She shrugged it off and opened the door a bit wider.

Her eyes met Ichabod’s again, and she visibly trembled.

 

_“Do not come any closer,” she warned the man._

_“I shall remain where you wish, but I promise you Miss Crane, I am the very last person who means you any harm in this village.”_

_Miriam laughed sarcastically._

_“That may be so, Sir. But I don’t usually move to shake someone’s hand one minute in a crowded public airport, and then find myself lying in a bed in my old Sleepy Hollow home the next. It does tend to set what one might call a very bad first impression.”_

_Ichabod’s lips twitched upward in a reluctant smile. Miriam fought down he urge to smile with him._

_“I can well imagine that it would, Miss,” Ichabod agreed with her calmly._

_“And, to be precise,” Miriam continued. “Sleepy Hollow has not been a village since I … It has not been a village in a very long time.”_

Just almost saying, “since I was little” caused time to feel as if it were doubling in on her again.

_In spite of her discomfort, Miriam held her ground, staring disconcertedly at Ichabod for more long endless seconds. Then, steeling herself, she slowly opened the door and went out to meet this most strange of men._


End file.
